Mangia Monday: Super Bowl Party Menu

The Garner household is not only divided for college football season, but for NFL teams too. We've only got eyes for Falcons (moi) and Saints (husband). So we really don't have a dog in this hunt. But any excuse to watch the last iota of football for 6 months and throw a homegating party, right? In lieu of my usual Mangia Monday post, I thought I'd share our Super Bowl Party Menu and recipe ideas for your gameday! 

Feast your eyes y'all:

Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork Sliders

Peanut Butter & Jelly Wings

Scallion Meatballs with Soy-Ginger Glaze

Spicy Spinach & Pancetta Balls

Cucumber Feta Rolls 

Layered Baked Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Tomatillo Salsa & Hot Sauce Guacamole 

Panzanella Salad Bites

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips

Spicy Maple Pecans

Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip

Baked S'mores

Krispy Kreme Cupcakes

T-Formation Cocktail, Craft Beer selection, Gameday Mojito Jello Shots

Now if none of those options tickle your fancy, you can always peruse our tailgate menus on the
Southern Fried Football tab or check out my SEC Gamedays pinboard. But the first place you should look for fabulous party food recipes is always Sarah Sprague's site, aka The Starter Wife.
Nobody does Gameday food better than Sarah. Her Super Bowl pinboard is full of incredible eats,
but be sure to look through the tabs of her site as well.

So who are y'all pulling for this Sunday? I'm taking the Giants only because the 1 UGA former player
(RB Danny Ware) in the SB is toting the rock for New York. And what delish party food will you
be serving for the big game?

I hope everybody has a terrific week :) Mangia Mangia y'all!

Fab Finds Friday: Valentine's Edition

Have you noticed the ever growing number of people that grumble about Valentine's Day? I swear it gets worse every year. Call me crazy, but I love getting sweet cards, presents, chocolate & a night of romance with my guy! More importantly, I love an extra excuse to show friends & family how much I love them.
So since the big day is just 2 weeks away, I thought I'd post some
sweet inspiration for making Feb 14th fun & special this year!

1 / 2 / 3

Instead of picking up a drugstore card, why not go for something unique, vintage, and hand made

 like these darling cards from artists on Etsy. Here's their entire Valentine's collection,

which includes some fabulous gift & party ideas as well! And if you're in need of sweet nothings to pen, a quote from Voltaire, Keats, Lord Byron or Beethoven is always a lovely touch.

1 / 2 / 3

What's better than pretty, pink lingerie for Valentine's Day? It's the gift that keeps on giving ;) And the new line from Victoria's Secret has everything from comfy sleepwear to cute, girly intimates. Love it!

clockwise from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Nothing says Valentine's Day quite like sparkly jewelry, right?
These are just a few darling little baubles sure to make any girl's wish list!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

There's no such thing as too many sweets on the sweetest day of the year! And these special treats
are just a few ideas for whipping up something scrumptious for the object of your affection.

1 / 2 / 3

Why go out to a crowded theater when you can cuddle up on the couch and watch a classic romantic movie. Everybody's seen the greats like Casablanca, An Affair To Remember, and Gone With The Wind so try something new! Three of my favorites are shown above, but some other fantastic options are:
The Philadelphia Story, The Thin Man, Doctor Zhivago, Notorious, Ball Of Fire, and Adam's Rib. Any of these would make for a perfect Valentine's night in.

And if that isn't enough inspiration to get you excited about celebrating Valentine's Day, check out my cupid & hearts filled pinboard. It's packed full of holiday recipes, outfit inspiration, gift and party ideas!
Also, The Nest has a sweet gift guide out for the special man in your life.
So what little presents are you dreaming about for the 14th? And what special plans are you making?
Have a terrific weekend y'all!

Brain Dump

What a crazy busy week it's been around the Garner household! When everyday life starts to overwhelm me a tad, random, unconnected thoughts & worries roll through my mind. So y'all are the lucky folks who get to decipher this mess :) Welcome to my brain dump:

• Tornadoes once again ripped through Alabama & Arkansas Sunday night. Alabama still has not recovered fully from April's devastating storms. It's just heartbreaking to think these people have to endure this. Again. We're so thankful that all of Jeff's family scattered from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham are safe, praise God.
• If you wish to help the additional 200+ families whose homes were destroyed, here's a list of ways you can donate & volunteer.
• Taking Jeff to the airport this morning. He's flying out for 10 days on business to Hong Kong. Wish I could've taken the time away from work to travel with him. If you are so inclined, we'd appreciate any prayers for safe travel please. Thank you!
• Jeff travels quite a bit, so Bailey (our Husky) & I are used to him being gone, but hate it nonetheless. I was never nervous to stay by myself until I got married. Weird huh? 
• I took half the day off yesterday to hang out with Jeff. We went on a trail run and then saw Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Very rarely does a movie live up to a book for me, but this was exceptional. We absolutely loved it!
• For dinner last night I made the Walnut Chicken I mentioned yesterday and it was divine. In addition to a salad & yeast rolls, I also made this incredible Wild Rice Casserole from Beth Eats. Just 4 ingredients folks. Sooo good!
• Have you seen Jon Stewart's recap of Obama's SOTU Address from Tuesday? High-larious. "You open with 'I killed Bin Laden'?" Stewart asked, incredulous. "Does Rick Springfield open with 'Jessie's Girl'? No!" Here's the clip.
• Was never a fan of Oprah. Ever. But we caught her new "Next Chapter" show interviewing New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. It was incredibly well done. The advice Gov Chritie received from his Mother about respect & love was an aha moment for me: 

"If you must choose between respect & love, choose respect. When someone respects you, there's always hope that love will come. But if someone loves you without respecting you, love will eventually fade." Check your local listings for the replay & watch it.

• For your inner geek: NASA released Blue Marble 2012 yesterday, the most high def image of earth. It's pretty magnificent. I've never felt smaller & more insignificant, and that's a good thing. 
• Can't stop listening & singing Madeleine Peyroux's Don't Wait Too Long. Her voice & music is this beautiful blend of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Swoon. Also, she's an Athens, Georgia native, which of course means she's aces in my book. 
• Speaking of Athens, tomorrow is Founder's Day for my alma mater UGA, 227 years! Ever crowned with praise and glory, Georgia, hail to thee.
• I hate new new twitter.
• I love Trader Joe's crunchy curls. And my new post-run freeze treat (via lovely friend Mrs M): 1 banana + 2.5 TB nutella, blend & freeze. It's like a chocolate banana frosty. Amazing!

So that's my brain dump. What's on your minds today y'all? 

Oh, How Pinteresting!

There is not a better time-suck on the whole wide web than Pinterest. And I am clearly not immune to it's seductive allure. If you asked me to describe why I love pinning so much, I honestly couldn't tell you. I just know that if pinning is wrong, I don't wanna be right ;)

And thanks to Michelle at The Vintage Apple, all Pinterest obsessed Bloggers like me now have an outlet to share our collections via her weekly link-up! These are just a few of my favorite pins I've grabbed lately:

Embellished Collars

                                                                               Source: alittledashofash.blogspot.com via Ally on Pinterest

Red Velvet Cheesecake Milkshake

                                                                              Source: thenovicechefblog.com via Ally on Pinterest

My next manicure: Essie Demure Vixen

                                                                                              Source: google.com via Ally on Pinterest

What I said to myself the last 3 miles of my 1st Half Marathon:

                                                                                              Source: runcourtrun.com via Ally on Pinterest

What's for dinner tonight: Walnut Chicken with Basil & Red Peppers

                                                                Source: blog.williams-sonoma.com via Ally on Pinterest

Blood Orange Margaritas. Come to Mama....

                                                                                    Source: howsweeteats.com via Ally on Pinterest

Homemade beef & cheddar doggie treats for Bailey:

                                                                             Source: browneyedbaker.com via Ally on Pinterest

Making my very own Cookbook:

                                                                              Source: memoriesoncloverlane.com via Ally on Pinterest

Lovely outfit inspiration:

                                                                                  Source: lateafternoonblog.com via Ally on Pinterest

Words to live by:

                                                                                Source: eatdrinkshoplove.com via Ally on Pinterest

Y'all have no idea how hard it was to narrow my long list of pins from this week to just 10. Torture & agony I tell you, haha! I just may have to make that red velvet cheese cake milkshake tonight for dessert. Seriously, how delicious does that look? And I can't wait to start working on my own recipe/cookbook! So what are some of your favorite pins from the last week? What new pinboards boards are you creating?

Have a terrific Wednesday y'all! And if you're one of the few still not sucked into the Pinterest craze, leave me a comment & I'll send you an invite. Join in, you'll love it - I promise!

Mangia Monday: Pappa al Pomodoro

Winter is finally creeping it's way across the deep South. It's been unusually mild up until the last week. Now the cold temps and dreary wet weather are here to stay, at least for a while. And I for one couldn't be more pleased! We get our fill of sunny days during 9 months of spring & summer - I love a little chill. Winter means staying inside, cozying up on the couch, wool coats, hot chocolate, and comfort food! Specifically thick soups and bread. What's better on a cold night than that?

So today's recipe is a traditional Tuscan bread soup, Pappa al Pomodoro, which is essentially a base of bread & tomatoes. It's incredibly easy, and oh so hearty & delicious. There are many versions of Pappa al Pomodoro around, but my favorite is from Ina Garten's cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics. Nontraditional versions of this soup use butter & cream, which is still divine, but Ina sticks to using wine, vegetables & basil for lots of authentic flavor. Jeff & I just love it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, medium diced & unpeeled
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored & medium diced
• 3 cups (1 inch) diced ciabatta bread, crusts removed
• 2 (28 oz) cans good Italian plum tomatoes*
• 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

For The Topping:

• 3 cups (1 inch) diced ciabatta bread
• 2 oz thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 24-30 whole fresh basil leaves
• 3 TB good olive oil, plus more for serving

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, garlic and cook over med-low heat for 10 mins, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 mins.
2. Process the plum tomatoes until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to your stockpot then add in the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 TB kosher salt, 2 tsp pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat & allow to simmer, partially covered for 45 mins.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 
4. For the topping, place the ciabatta, pancetta & basil on a sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper & toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 mins, until crisp.
5. Using a wire whisk, beat the soup (sounds strange right?) until the bread is broken up. Then stir in the parmesan & taste for seasoning. Serve hot, sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with olive oil.

*Note: Whenever possible & in-season, use fresh plum tomatoes. Otherwise the brand of canned tomates I prefer is Cento's San Marzano.

I've made Ina's soup 3 times now, but this last batch I chose not to serve with the pancetta & bread topping. I omitted the topping only because I served the soup with grilled bacon & gruyere sandwiches on focaccia bread Friday night. More bacon & bread just would've been overkill (i know - gasp!). With or without the topping though, this is just the ultimate tomato soup! 

So what are some of your favorite winter soups and comfort foods? Feel free to leave the recipes as well :) Have a fantastic week everybody!

Mangia Mangia y'all!!

Blog Lovin'

While taking a little sabbatical from le blog back in December, the post series I missed most writing was this one :: Blog Lovin'. I've said it a ton already, but it bares repeating - the best part about blogging is the amazing community of lovely people you discover. Here are a few writers & sites I'm adoring lately:

Two Tarts - I'm am absolutely obsessed with combing Dulcie & Sarah's (the 2 tarts) recipe index lately. These fabulous girls love simple but delicious recipes, using local, organic ingredients and dabble with cocktails, sweets & comfort foods. The latest of their scrumptious concoctions that are on my "to make soon" list are pictured above: Roasted Potatoes with Lemon & Thyme, Minty Dog Cocktail, and

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti. I'm making the potatoes tonight - can't wait to taste 'em!

Jenny Sue Makeup - One of my favorite people on the planet! Jen is so sweet & a talented Freelance Makeup Artist, a fellow UGA grad, gorgeous Wife, and busy Mom of 3 cuties. Her blog has been a daily click for me for almost 3 years. She writes a lot about great skincare, makeup trends, and perfecting your best look on a budget. Three recent posts that I loved: Incorporating a touch of trendy neon in your makeup, Good Girl Makeup (aka daytime/work look), and Bad Girl Makeup (for a night out on the town!) Jen always gives step-by-step instructions, great photos, and will answer any question you have. 

The It Girl Project - A recent discovery, I've become obsessed with Lynette's blog lately! You may have seen her designs appear on The Decorista's site as well. She's all about chic design on a budget! Lynette blogs about fashion, interior design, beauty, and recipes. She truly is an "It Girl." And one post in particular I love is her take on a look from Charlize Theron, but without the Hollywood pricetag. Check out her space!

Happiness Is A Pink Foo Dog - The blog of Decorator & Chic Shop proprietor Hilary Thomas is a

delight for a Pinterest addict like me :) She blogs great design tips, decor trends, and the

latest finds in her shop. Fabulous! And with categories like Eye Candy, Wanderlust, and Crushing On you can count on always reading about Hilary's latest lifestyle passions.

Life In Grace - I can't believe I haven't mentioned Edie Wadsworth's blog here before. Her site is truly one of my most favorite blogs ever! I call her the Pioneer Woman of the South. She reminds me so much of Ree Drummond. But Edie not only shares Ree's talents in photography, decor, food & homemaking,  more importantly she feeds my soul. Her main goal in life is to serve God & love others with all she has. She writes about her faith journey, raising her beautiful children, delish family recipes, and so much more. But what captivated me the most when I discovered Edie's space, was how she handled losing her home & every possession in a house fire last year, just a few days before Christmas. She's blogged every step with grace, humility & deep gratitude. And it was a joy to read her posts this last year capturing the rebuilding of their new home with gorgeous decor, hilarious stories, and tender moments of thanks to God. She describes life true to her blog's title: living a dream we don't deserve. Peruse her site - you'll love her too!

So those are the spaces I've been crushing on lately. What are some of your faves?

Which Bloggers are you passionate about? Be sure to check out some of the sites I mentioned and let me know what you think! Hope y'all have a blessed & blissful Sunday!

Fitness Friday

Happy Friday y'all! Just like on Wednesday, I'm trying out some new topics I'm passionate about for the blog. So a couple of Fridays every month I'll be talking about smart eating & my latest fitness obsessions. January is synonymous with resolutions and virtually anyone setting goals for the new year lists "get in shape" on their lists, right? Especially if you allowed yourself to indulge over the Holidays like I did. Wowzers. Full confession: not only did I skip the gym and take a break from working out, I put on 5 pounds the last 2 months of 2011. No bueno.

Thanks to my very active parents & some good genes, I've always been a workout lover and stayed fit. But Fall tailgate season followed by the Holidays proved that I've reached that stage in life where I can't just eat whatever I want anymore and get lax with exercise. While I'm mostly a trail runner & distance swimmer, I'm really craving some variety in my workouts lately, some new challenges besides yoga & Pure Barre. And I'm really in the mood to push myself with more cross training & tougher strength training.

So I was thrilled when a friend in my Girls Running Club pointed out BodyRock.tv - a site geared for home workouts of 12-20 minutes, with minimal to no gear required. The best part? The workouts are free! You can even subscribe and have a new workout delivered to your Inbox or Reader, daily. Brilliant idea if you ask me! There are endless workouts and individual exercises to choose from, so you never get bored & can tailor your training to your needs. I absolutely love it!

Here's just a sample workout that I used last night:

I always skip the first minute of chit-chat and get straight to the workout, watching the technique & interval sets first, then doing the workout with the instructor. It's just like using an exercise dvd. And if you don't like this workout, there are tons of other options to choose from. On those days when you don't feel like going to the gym or running outside in cold temps, BodyRock is an awesome alternative!

If you're going to invest in your body enough to workout then you've got to commit to fueling it properly by eating right. I'm not a health nut by any means, but I love the way my body feels and the extra energy I get from eating healthier meals. That way I don't feel so guilty when I indulge a little on the weekends ;) But after all the sweets & rich foods from the Holidays and a New Orleans vacation, my body has been craving raw veggies, greens, & fruits lately. And lots of them.

Two recipes I've made this week for lunch and a snack are the Kale & Red Cabbage Detox Salad and the Oat & Date Energy Bites in the pic above. I can't get enough of the detox salad. The dijon-vinaigrette dressing is divine! And the no-bake sweet bites taste just like one of those Quaker Oat Chewy Granola bars, but without all the sugar & preservatives. But in case neither of those sound appealing, here are a few other detox salad & snack recipes I love to rotate:

1. Detox Shredded Veggie Salad via With Style and Grace
2. Mediterranean Detox Salad via Health Magazine
3. Raw Peanut Butter Bites via The Lovely Cupboard
4. Butterfinger Dough Balls via Running To The Kitchen

*Note: In the Kale & Red Cabbage Salad I substitute walnuts for the cashews & chia seeds for the hemp seeds. And in the Butterfinger Dough Balls I substitute almond butter for peanut butter & agave nectar (or honey) for the maple syrup.


So what fitness goals have y'all set for yourselves this year? And what are some of your favorite healthy foods & workouts? Tell me about them in the comments! I'm always looking for new recipes and training fads. And check out BodyRock - let me know what you think! Have a terrific weekend y'all!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy Wednesday y'all!

Now that we're into a new year I'm gonna be trying some new things on the blog.
And today I'm linking up with Jamie over at This Kind Of Love for her
What I'm Loving Wednesday series!

So here are just a few lovely things I'm loving today:

{One}

A new season of Justified premiered last night! My husband got me addicted to this show last year during season 2. But just a warning, Justified is not for the faint of heart. Typically I'm grabbing onto him & burying my face in his chest. Lots of heart-pounding drama, Kentucky outlaws, guns & blood. So good!

{Two}

I splurged with some Christmas money & ordered these color-block Kate Spade beauties yesterday.
Can't wait for them to arrive! I may never take them off...

{Three}

My sweet hubby can't sing to save his life, but he never lets that minor detail stop him.
He serenades me, plays air guitar, attempts to dance (in his underwear no less) and
generally acts a fool to make me bust a gut laughing. It's why I married him ;)
He sang Chris Young's song 'You' to me the other night. I love it & can't get it out of my head!

Isn't that sweet? Swoon.

{Four}

For Christmas my amazing Sister-in-law gave me the best gift ever. These amazing chocolate bars from Chuao. I'm on my last one and seriously thinking I'm gonna go into withdrawals when they're gone. And their hot chocolate is some of the best I've ever tasted!

{Five}

Octavia Spencer's speech after winning her first Golden Globe Award Sunday night for her brilliant performance in The Help. She looked absolutely stunning in that lavender dress, and was so eloquent & graceful. But the quote she shared from Dr. King touched my heart and hasn't left me since:

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance." Amen.

Congrats to Octavia, an Alabama girl & Auburn grad!

So what are y'all loving this Wednesday?

Drop me a note in the comments or link up with us over at Jamie's blog!

Mangia Monday: English Orange Tea Cakes & Downton Abbey

This time last year I was absolutely obsessed with the new Masterpiece Classic series on PBS, Downton Abbey. I'd heard the buzz for weeks preceding it's premiere and was instantly hooked after the first episode. After a long 11 month wait, it's finally back for the 2nd season and just as sublime! Which means, of course, I'm utterly enthralled again.

If you've never seen Downton Abbey, you don't know what you're missing! Seriously. You're also not too late to jump on the bandwagon. All of season 1 is available on dvd. You can also watch it/rent it on amazon, on netflix, and you can find the episodes free online as well so I hear. And the current season's episodes are on PBS's site now. Just a warning though, Downton Abbey is instantly addictive; prepare to immerse yourself in Edwardian era romance, history, & drama! Check out these fun Downton links as well:

100 Important Things To Know About Season 1 of Downton Abbey
Design Sponge's Living In Downton Abbey
English Tea Party Recipes from Joy Of Baking
All About Highclere Castle, the grand estate of Downton
Kelly Market's English Country Weekend
OMG A Quiz! Which Downton Abbey Character Are You

Fast forward to 2011, while I was at home over Christmas my Mom unearthed an old recipe box of hers she thought was long gone after a move many years ago. The recipe box was her very first after she & my Dad married, filled with old family recipes that included my Great-Grandmother's Chiffon Cake, another Great-Grandmother's Canadian War Cake, among many others. What a treasure this find was and at the most special time of the year! The one I'm sharing with y'all today is my British Nana Lena's Orange Tea Cakes. She and my Aunt Lucy loved to have tea together with their friends. When I visited her as a little girl, I was allowed to indulge in afternoon tea time as well. And one of my favorite delicacies was her tea cakes. She made several different varieties, but the orange ones were definitely my top choice! The syrupy glaze alone grabbed my attention as I imagine it will yours as well once you try a taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• juice of 1 orange
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup ground raisins
• 1 tsp vanilla
• rind of orange

Syrup Topping Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light Caro Syrup
• juice of 2 oranges
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. The night before baking, using a food processor, grind raisins & orange rind and refrigerate in a sealed container overnight.
2. Beat softened butter, sugar & eggs until creamy. Add flour, baking soda & powder and beat until well incorporated.
3. Add buttermilk and orange juice a little at a time to the creamed butter & sugar mix. Then add in the vanilla.
4. Next combine the ground raisins & orange rind to the batter and mix in well.
5. Pour into mini-muffin molds/tins and bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.
6. While the tea cakes are baking, bring all of the syrup topping ingredients to a boil. Careful not to cook the syrup too thick, however.
7. While the tea cakes are still warm, dip the tops into the syrup and let rest on waxed paper. They will be very sticky, but will set up in just 5-10 minutes. Now just try to eat only one...

Remember these little sweet treats the next time you sip on some hot tea or cozy up on the couch to watch the latest guilty pleasure, Downton Abbey.

As always, Mangia Mangia y'all!

Mangia Monday: Coffee Toffee

Hey so you know what cures a New Year's Day hangover? Coffee Toffee. You know what goes great with a cup of joe or hot chai? Coffee Toffee. You know what homemade sweet will get you a show on Food Network? Coffee Toffee. Okay, so that last bit is a bit of an exaggeration, but a girl can dream, right?

While we were visiting my Mom after Christmas, I finally got in the kitchen with her to make one of my favorite sweets. She's been baking this toffee over the Holidays & throughout winter since I was in college. She used to make a post-Christmas care package for me to take back to UGA after the Holiday break, always packed with her Coffee Toffee. So I jumped at the chance to learn to make her recipe last week! Hope y'all love this as much as we do...

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 TB dark molasses
• 2 tsp espresso
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 4 1/2 oz imported milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 1/2 oz imported white chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Melt butter in heavy 2 1/2 quart saucepan over low heat. Add both sugars, water, molasses, espresso, cinnamon & salt. Stir well until sugar dissolves.
2. Attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan & increase heat to medium. Cook until thermometer registers 290 degrees F, stirring slowly but constantly and scraping the bottom with a spatula for about 20 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat, mix in pecans, then immediately pour mixture onto a greased (with butter) small cookie sheet. Tilt the cookie sheet so that the toffee spreads to a 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle the chocolates in heaping tablespoonfuls over the toffee, alternating between white & milk chocolate. It should look like a checkerboard pattern. Let stand 1 minute.
4. Using the back of a spoon swirl the chocolates to spread the toffee out slightly. Then take the tip of a knife and swirl the chocolates to create a marbled effect.
5. Refrigerate about an hour until toffee is firm. Break into little pieces and stop yourself from eating the whole batch.

This goes without saying, but just remember you should never make candy on a cloudy or rainy day. It'll never set up right so check the weather before choosing your bake day.  The thing I love most about this toffee recipe is that it's not a rock hard candy that sticks to your teeth. The chocolate softens the top of the toffee and it literally melts in your mouth. Trust me, you'll love it!



Happy New Year and Mangia Mangia y'all!